Have you made a New Year’s resolution? Nearly 60% of us in the UK have, says comparison site Finder, putting paid to any suggestion we’re not a nation of self-improvers. More women appear committed than men – 62% compared to 53% (not shocked) – and more people in London than elsewhere in the UK at 74%.
Pollsters YouGov tell us that for the fourth consecutive year, doing more exercise or improving our fitness tops the list of resolutions for 2023. YouGov’s research also tells us that health-based resolutions are more popular amongst woman, with 57% of women planning to do more exercise or improve their fitness compared with only 47% of men (again, not shocked). Lardy men aside, the intentions might be commendable but how successful are we likely to be? After all, a New Year’s resolution isn’t just for January, and all that. Again, YouGov has the answers: Of all the people who made a resolution at the end of 2021, less than a third (28%) say they kept all of them. Just over half (53%) say they managed to keep some, but one in six (17%) admit they didn’t keep any of them.
Who is more likely to be the one out of the six who quits? Well, whilst a similar percentage of men and women make resolutions, men are nearly twice as likely to claim they kept all of their resolutions. And, who am I to doubt their truth…
So, what is the secret to being able to proudly say that you’ve kept your resolutions (besides taking a ‘truth vacation’ if you’re male)?
Here are some of the more informed suggestions:
Do it with a friend
According to research conducted by Leeds University buddying up or planning with someone can really improve your chances of keeping your resolutions.
They conducted research on employees from 15 UK councils who resolved to increase their exercise or improve their diet, with half the employees tasked with recruiting a partner. “The involvement of a partner in planning had a sustained effect that was still noticeable after six months”, reported Mark Conner, Professor of Applied Social Psychology at Leeds University.
Patience, patience…
66 days is the time it takes for the average person to form a new habit, according to Phillippa Lally and colleagues at University College London (UCL). So, if you start a New Year’s resolution on January 1st, don’t expect it to stick until March 7. At the earliest. Forming new exercise habits takes even longer.
Better news is that they found that missing one opportunity did not significantly impact the habit formation process, so no need to beat yourself up over the occasional slip.
Pick small, specific goals
Dr Susan Weinschenk, author of How To Get People To Do Stuff, says don’t set large, vague goals, choose small, specific and achievable targets instead. Rather than ‘Get more exercise,’ choose ‘Walk for 30 minutes at least five times a week’ or ‘Have a smoothie every morning with turmeric, kale and spinach’, if that’s your thing.
Even better if that specific goal is just a small adjustment to your current life. Banafsheh Behzad, then at the University of Illinois found that cutting car travel, even by a small amount, can be a very effective health goal suggesting that, “If they would just consider even taking the bus, walking the distance to the bus stop could have an impact like eating 100 calories less per day.”
Create cues
Placing your trainers by the door as a reminder to go out for a run, your bike helmet by your keys to prompt you to cycle rather than drive, or your swimming costume on your bedside chair to encourage a morning swim, can all help to motivate and keep you to a new routine. Setting alarms to remind you to take screen breaks, or stand and stretch, or go for a walk, or drink water can also help to establish new habits.
Use your superpower: sleep
“Sleep is the single most powerful health-enhancing weapon known to humankind”, says sleep doctor Guy Meadows. And, the evidence from a study by the University of California in 2014 suggests that it has a direct effect on our ability to keep our New Year’s resolutions. The study found that lack of sleep led to diminished activity in the higher-order brain regions that process long term strategic thinking.
Netflix is not your friend
I’ll say it quietly: Binge-watching Netflix or boxsets might, possibly, could have a less than positive effect on your health-based resolutions. I know, I enjoy a good curl up and binge evening as much as the next person, but Health Science professor Lori Spruance at Brigham Young University has put a bit of a dampener on it. In 2018 he discovered that among binge-watchers, 85% eat fruit and vegetables less than once per day and less than 50% meet physical activity recommendations.
“The main message is moderation,” Spruance said. “Take breaks from binge-watching; set a limit on the number of episodes you’ll watch at once so you can incorporate healthy activities in your life too.”
“Not Shit, Sherlock”, I believe might have been the peer review response…
Drink coffee. Apparently.
In a paper published in 2016 month in the scientific journal Sports Medicine, Professor Samuele Marcora, a University of Kent endurance expert, suggests drinking coffee is the key to improve your energy levels and motivation, if you’re struggling to exercise more. Professor Samuele Marcora, who doesn’t appear to be sponsored by any known coffee brands, said humans had evolved to conserve energy so it was hard to encourage the body out of its hardwired ‘laziness.’ He found that the use of caffeine or other psychoactive drugs to reduce the perception of effort during exercise can make the healthy choice easier.
Reward yourself
And finally, don’t forget to reward yourself for each and every success along the way. For example, you may choose to take a long, relaxing bath with the twelfth element body soak. A unique blend of magnesium-rich bath salts, natural essential oils, herb infused oils and body butters; formulated to help soak your muscles, ease your mind and soothe your skin. Especially indispensable after a New Year’s resolution exercise. Just a thought…
Happy New Year!